Lord and Lady Grantham, Ladies Mary & Edith, and of course the Dowager Countess are back at Highclere Castle, aka Downton Abbey, filming the long-awaited movie by the same name. The whole Crawley family and the downstairs help are returning to bring fans a new chapter of the popular ITV & PBS show.
Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley Talbot) posted the first photo from filming at Highclere Castle, says PageSix .
“And…we’re off!”
Dockery has announced previously that the proverbial band was getting back together, and now she is sharing proof with her fans and followers on Instagram. But per Downton creator Julian Fellowes, Dockery is not allowed to reveal any part of the plotline.
Hugh Bonneville , Lord Robert Grantham, posted a sweet pic on his Instagram to let people know that he was playing hooky from the set of the Downton Abbey movie because along with Allen Leech (Tom Branson), he stepped out to see Elizabeth McGovern (Lady Cora) in a play in London.
“Having skipped the first day of filming for @downtonabbey_official, @therealleech and I went to see #elizabethmcgovern in sublime production of #GodOfCarnage at the Theatre Royal, Bath. With hilarious, lacerating performances by #ralflittle #nigellindsay and #amandaabbington.”
On his Instagram page, Allen Leech shared another photo with Hugh Bonneville as the two left rehearsals to play nine holes of golf near Highclere Castle with some cast members. Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates) also posted on Instagram to say how happy she is to be back on set.
“It was so lovely to be sat next to some of these beauties again today while we were having make up tests. So excited to start filming! #fbf to this magical moment.”
W Magazine says that Fellowes has had a crazy year, devoting much of his time to a new story for the Downton Abbey movie. Gareth Neame, the producer for the show and now the movie, says they want it to be just right for fans of the series.
“When the television series drew to a close, it was our dream to bring the millions of global fans a movie, and now, after getting many stars aligned, we are shortly to go into production. Julian’s script charms, thrills, and entertains, and in Brian Percival’s hands we aim to deliver everything that one would hope for as Downton comes to the big screen.”
The cast and crew behind Downton Abbey are confident that the script for the movie will please even the most skeptical fan of the series.
